Special Session SS30  30 Jun 2026

A synoptic view of star formation with the VLTI and JWST

Aims and scope

Finding the link between the properties of circumstellar disks and the properties of planets forming in these disks is of utmost importance for the star formation community to explain the origin of the large variety of exoplanetary system architectures. ALMA revolutionized our view of the spatial structure of the outer (10-100 au radii) regions of planet-forming disks, revealing non-axisymmetric, variable structures like vortices, gaps, rings, and spiral arms, as well as exploring the molecular chemistry, snowlines, winds, and cold dust reservoirs of these disks.

The inner disk regions are much less studied, and it is still debated whether we would see similarly complex substructures within the snowline. We live, however, in a special era when two complementary, extremely powerful infrared observatories, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI), are available, and may offer a new - up to now little used - possibility to explore the inner disk (<10 au radii) structure. We can now obtain and combine extremely sensitive arsec-scale observations from space with the sub-milliarcsecond resolution from the ground, and forthcoming VLTI sensitivity upgrades will allow observations of an even fainter (or more embedded) disk population.

The main goal of this Special Session is to bring together experts to review, discuss and define together the potential of the JWST/VLTI synergy approach to star formation. In details, to obtain a new picture of the inner disks where rocky planets form, we will discuss how to (a) combine the spectroscopic capabilities of JWST (NIRSPEC, MIRI) with the unparalleled spatial resolution of VLTI GRAVITY+ and MATISSE to determine the kinematics, as well as the chemical, mineralogical, and spatial structure of the inner disk at once; (b) further constrain the disk structure from the object behavior in the time domain using multi-epoch VLTI and JWST observations; and (c) develop and use the powerful numerical tools to achieve the above goals.

We welcome contributed papers, both in talk and poster forms.

Programme

  • Block 1: Unprecedentedly deep exploration of inner disk structure using simultaneous analysis of VLTI and JWST data
  • Block 2: Spatially resolved chemistry and mineralogy on sub-au scale
  • Block 3: Large YSO surveys with VLTI and JWST, and their possible future synthesis


Each of the 3 blocks of the session will include: - invited talk (25 min) - short contributed talks (10-15min) - discussion session (20min) - a series of very short (5min) flash talks on e-posters

Invited speakers

Scientific organisers

  • Péter Ábrahám (Chair, Konkoly Observatory and University of Vienna)
  • Foteini Lykou (co-Chair, Konkoly Observatory)
  • Ágnes Kóspál (co-Chair, Konkoly Observatory)
  • Thomas Henning (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy)
  • Giulia Perotti (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy)
  • József Varga (Konkoly Observatory)

Contact

eas_ss30 AT konkoly DOT hu

Updated on Wed Jan 28 16:24:10 CET 2026
European Astronomical Society